Mumbai Indians opened their account in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as they registered a thrilling six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. Chasing a target of 173, Mumbai got off to a flying start but then lost some wickets in the later half of the chase but somehow managed to clinch the victory by 6 wickets. Delhi on the other side faced their fourth straight loss of the campaign.  Read the Match Report of the DC vs MI game and share your thoughts in the comments

Read Also: Most successful spinner in IPL

DC vs MI: IPL 2023 Match Report

Piyush Chawla gave a bright start to MI by picking early wickets

Mumbai won the toss and decided to bowl first. David Warner alongside Prithvi Shaw started the proceedings. Jason Behrendorff led the attack for Mumbai Indians. A stable start from DC as they managed to score 7 runs in the first over. The second and third over favored Delhi as they collected 22 runs. Shokeen gave the first shock to DC by dismissing Prithvi Shaw for 15 runs. Once again Shaw failed to construct his inning and lost his wicket early.

His wicket brought Manish Pandey to the crease. Delhi Capitals reached 50 run mark at the end of the powerplay. Piyush Chawla brought an end to Manish Pandey's fireworks. He fell for 26(17). The batter tried to clear the long-off fence but found one of Cameron Green. Yash Dhull didn't last long in the middle as Riley Meredith removed the youngster for 2(4). Piyush Chawla struck again in his next over as he got rid of Rovman Powell for 4(4). 

Axar Patel's fiery inning changed the course of the game

Warner was then dropped by Piyush Chawla at mid-off as the fielder. He made a good effort but failed to hold onto the ball. However, he cleaned up Lalit Yadav for 2(4) in his final over. Axar Patel went to the crease to help Delhi by taking the responsibility of scoring runs as fast as possible. David Warner continued his fine run as slammed yet another 50. This time he reached the milestone in 43 balls. Meanwhile, Axar Patel continued his carnage as he smashed Cameron Green for two cracking boundaries. The capitals reached 136 runs after the end of 16 overs. Axar Patel completed his half-century in just 22 deliveries. It looked like Delhi would reach at least 190 from here as they reached the 165-run mark after 18 overs.

Four wickets in one over

Behrendorff gave relief to Mumbai as he struck thrice in his final over. He dismissed Axar Patel for 54 runs after facing 25 deliveries. He then got rid of Warner (51). Kuldeep Yadav tried to sneak a quick single but smart work by Nehal Wadhera resulted in a run-out. Abishek Porel is then caught by Cameron Green in the final ball as he departed for 1. Delhi lost four wickets in one over. Riley Meredith completed the formalities as he cleaned up Anrich Nortje for 5(3). Delhi Capitals bundled out for 172 in 19.4 overs.

Read Also: Afghanistan is set to tour India after the WTC Final – Report

DC vs MI:

Mumbai registered their first victory of the campaign after a thrilling final over showdown

Mumbai got off to a flying start with Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan adding 71 runs for the opening wicket. A mix-up then got rid of Ishan for 31(26). Following his dismissal, Rohit along with Tilak Varma added a crucial 68 runs for the second wicket, before Mukesh Kumar opened the contest yet again in the 16th over. The pacer removed Tilak for 41(29) and then removed Suryakumar Yadav for a first-ball duck.

Rohit, who scored his first half-century in 25 innings in the competition, was dismissed in the next over for 65(45) with wicketkeeper Abishek Porel grabbing a spectacular catch. It looked like all set for Mumbai as Green and Tim David were leading the chase in the later half but Nortje held his ground in the last over. He didn't get a single wicket but fought till the last bowl. Although Mumbai won the match, Delhi had the brightest opportunities to turn the match in their favour.

Mumbai Indians are the fourth team to seal their playoffs spot in IPL 2025, defeating DC to get those concluding 2 points. As we move further in the tournament, the focus shifts from playoffs qualification to top 4 standings.

How can Mumbai Indians finish at the top of the points table? The calculation is pretty simple. Check them out.

Why Aim for Top 2?

The benefits of finishing in the top two in league stage are many.

• Double chance in Qualifiers: A sigh of relief as the top 2 teams will have double chances to reach the finals, playing Qualifier 1 & 2.
• Avoid Eliminator pressure: Finishing top 2 will provide the safety net and free them from knockout pressure in Eliminator, where a single bad performance can lead to elimination from the final race.

Read Also: IPL Playoffs: Teams with most IPL Eliminator defeats

How can MI finish inside top two?

• MI must win their final league stage game against PBKS (on 26 May) to keep their hopes for top 2 alive.
• PBKS need to lose another match to DC, which will restrict them from going beyond 17 points.
• RCB should lose both their remaining games (against LSG & SRH), which too will restrict them at 17 points. 

Here's how MI can be at top of the points table

If the scenarios mentioned above go in their favour, along with GT losing their last 2 games, MI will end at no. 1 in the table. Both GT and MI will have 18 points, and MI will be on top, given their NRR advantage.

Read Also: IPL Table toppers: IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025

Reasons why MI can't be on top two:

Rain can obstruct MI's way of reaching the top 2 in many ways.

• If the match between MI and PBKS gets washed out, they will end up with 17 points, making their chances slim.
• If the match between DC and PBKS also gets washed out, PBKS will go ahead with 18 points.
• If any of the last two games of RCB get washed out, they will also go ahead in terms of points.

With the IPL 2025 playoffs just around the corner, the tension is reaching its peak. Over the years, the Indian Premier League has given fans plenty of memorable moments full of surprises at the fag end of the group stage. Generally, the fans have to wait till the last over of the group stage to know who will qualify for the IPL Playoffs.

Sometimes, it even goes to the final ball as well, to decide the fourth team to qualify.

From teams that regularly reach the playoffs to underdogs who’ve shocked everyone, the path to the final four has always been full of drama. 

Let's take a look at the IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025.

Read Also | Most Wickets in IPL history

2008 | RR, KXIP, CSK, DD

2009 | DD, CSK, RCB, Deccan Chargers

2010 | MI, Deccan Chargers, CSK, RCB

Read Also | Most IPL Finals: Teams with most final appearances in IPL history

2011 | RCB, CSK, MI, KKR 

Read Also | IPL records: Most consecutive away wins in IPL history

2012 | DD, KKR, MI, CSK

2013 | CSK, MI, RR, SRH

2014 | KXIP, KKR, CSK, MI

2015 | CSK, MI, RCB, RR 

2016 | Gujarat Lions, RCB, SRH, KKR

2017 | MI, RPSG, SRH, KKR

2018 | SRH, CSK, KKR, RR

Read Also | SRH's poor performance and playoff hopes in IPL 2025: Can they rise?

2019 | MI, CSK, DC, SRH

2020 | MI, DC, SRH, RCB

2021 | DC, CSK, RCB, KKR

2022 | GT, RR, LSG, RCB

2023 | GT, LSG, CSK, MI

2024 | KKR, SRH, RR, RCB

2025 | GT, RCB, PBKS, MI

Achieving consistent playoffs mark is a big flex for IPL franchises. Some teams have made their way to the playoffs so many times that now it feels weird when they don't qualify.

We are very close to the playoffs of IPL 2025, and some teams have already booked their berth, adding a number to their playoff appearance.

So which team has qualified for IPL playoffs most times? It is time to find out.

Chennai Super Kings (12 times)

Chennai Super Kings stands as the IPL playoffs King, having qualified 12 times in their 16 seasons. This unmatched legacy grows even stronger with their title winning history.

CSK also holds the record of reaching the IPL finals most number of times (10 times), and winning 5 out of them, in the years 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023.

Read Also: Most IPL Finals: Teams with most final appearances in IPL history

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (10 times)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru reached the 10-time playoff qualification mark in IPL 2025. They were among the first three teams to qualify for the playoff this season, which made it their 10th qualification.

This side is yet to grab the title despite having qualified several times. It will be interesting to see if they can achieve that in this season itself.

Read Also: IPL Playoffs: Teams with most IPL Eliminator defeats

Mumbai Indians (10 times)

Mumbai Indians are another IPL powerhouse with exceptional playoffs record. They qualified for IPL playoffs 10 times and are also the five-time champions.

Their current position in IPL 2025 points table look pretty steady, and a win against DC would secure their spot in the playoffs, which obviously increases their count.

Can they make it to the playoffs for the 11th time? We will know soon.

Read Also: Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet: Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025

Other teams with 5+ playoff qualification

3 teams have made their place in the IPL 2025 playoffs and only one team is yet to be decided. There is a fierce battle going on between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals for the remaining playoff spot. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have made a three new changes in their squad.

Mumbai has announced the replacement of three foreign players. The team has included Jonny Bairstow, Charith Asalanka, and Richard Gleeson in the squad in place of Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton, and Corbin Bosch. These three foreign players of Mumbai Indians are going to join their respective national teams after playing the last league match. In such a situation, the franchise had no other option but to bring their replacements.

Also Read: Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season?

Three replacement for MI

Mumbai Indians have included England's experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow in the team as a replacement for Will Jacks for Rs 5.25 crore. Bairstow has had good experience in IPL and is considered an aggressive batsman in the T20 format. His presence is expected to strengthen the top order batting of Mumbai Indians. 

At the same time, English fast bowler Richard Gleeson has been included in the team in place of Ryan Rickelton. Gleeson has been added to Mumbai Indians for Rs 1 crore. He has been signed by Mumbai Indians for Rs 1 crore. Gleeson's fast pace and ability to bowl yorkers in the death overs can prove to be important for the team.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Charith Asalanka has been included in the squad in place of Corbin Bosch for Rs 75 lakh. Asalanka can not only bat aggressively but can also give options to the team with his part-time off-spin bowling.

Also Read: IPL 2025 Playoffs Race: Who Will Claim the Final Spot?

IPL 2025 | Playoffs scenario

Mumbai Indians are currently in the playoff race. If the team qualifies for the next round, then these three new replacement players will be available for the team from the playoff matches. This will help the team to create balance and fill the gap of foreign players.

It is worth noting that Mumbai Indians have 2 matches left in the league stage. In one match, the team will face Delhi Capitals, while in its last league stage match, it will face the challenge of Punjab Kings. Punjab has already made its place in the IPL 2025 playoffs.

As the IPL 2025 season nears its climax on May 19, 2025, the playoff picture is almost complete. Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings have secured their spots in the top four, leaving one final slot up for grabs.

The race for the fourth position is heating up, with Mumbai Indians (MI), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) battling it out for that one position.

Read Also | IPL Table toppers: IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2024

Current Standings

• Mumbai Indians: 14 points from 12 games (NRR: 1.156)
• Delhi Capitals: 13 points from 12 games
• Lucknow Super Giants: 10 points from 11 games

Upcoming Fixtures

The outcome of the following matches will determine who claims the final playoff spot:

• MI vs. DC (May 21, 2025)
• MI vs. PBKS
• DC vs. PBKS
• LSG vs. SRH (May 19, 2025), GT, and RCB

Qualification Scenarios

Who Will Make It?

Mumbai Indians are currently favoured to clinch the final playoff spot, thanks to their higher points tally and strong net run rate.

The upcoming MI vs. DC clash on May 21 is being dubbed a virtual knockout, as the winner will gain a significant advantage. However, LSG’s three remaining games give them a slim chance to stage a dramatic comeback, provided they can upset strong teams like GT and RCB.